THURSDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2012
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL

WASHINGTON— Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney will spend his lunch time with President Obama today...without the press nor aides present. One of Romney's representatives says the lunch invitation is a simple act of kindness from the president's behalf.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAITH

TEXAS-- Christian motivational speaker Zig Ziglar passed away in a Texas hospital Wednesday morning. You probably knew him for "The Ziglar Way." His executive assistant confirms that he died after battling pneumonia. The 86 year old leaves behind a wife and two children.
------------------------------
NORTH CAROLINA-- They replaced the word "Christmas" with "holidays." School officials at Western Piedmont Community College in North Carolina say they did it to raise funds for charity, by selling Christmas trees, but without marketing Christianity. The Alliance Defending Freedom is asking the college to return the original words on flyers so that no legal actions are necessary.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATE/REGIONAL

INDIANAPOLIS-- It was an emotional return for Hoosier families.. 70 Indiana National Guard soldiers came home after serving nine months in Afghanistan. The unit controlled more than five thousand coalition forces in the Middle East.
------------------------------
INDIANA-- If you‘re interested in keeping your homestead deduction on your property taxes, you have until the end of the year. County auditors are conducting a one-time state-ordered cleanup of the tax rolls to make sure people aren‘t claiming homestead deductions on more than one property. You‘re only entitled to one, for the house you live in.
------------------------------
INDIANAPOLIS--- An insurance software provider is laying off 23 employees from its Indianapolis location. Vertafore is eliminating the positions in January and transferring to other facilities in Michigan and Washington. Vertafore employes 1300 people across the nation.
------------------------------
VINCENNES-- A Vincennes University student is under investigation for emailing bomb threats to the school. Authorities identified 24-year-old Randall Nichols of Sullivan as the person who emailed the threats on three different occasions. Investigators turned the case over to the Knox County Prosecutor.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN INDIANA/SOUTHWEST MI, (MICHIANA)

ELKHART-- Tomorrow will be the last day of work for more than 200 Gunite employees. Gunite Corporation in Elkhart is shutting down and moving to Rockford Illinois. The company has already begun shifting their operations, and officials say the transition has been smooth. Gunite laid off 25 full-time employees about seven months ago.
------------------------------
VALPARAISO-- A former Valparaiso Police Department employee is suing her former employer for age discrimination. The 73-year-old Sonja Stansberry was given an ultimatum to retire or be fired. Stansberry says she was suspended then fired after she filed a discrimination charge, so she is now pursuing the case in federal court.
------------------------------
ST. JOSEPH-– A power outage in South Bend left about 10,000 people in the dark on Wednesday. Indiana Michigan Power says the outage hit around 1:00 pm. It also caused IUSB to cancel all classes and close its campus.
------------------------------
SOUTH BEND-- The St. Joseph County Republican Party has a new member. Jamie O’Brien won Wednesday night's special election. He was sworn in after being voted in by Republican Precinct Committeemen. O'Brien will finish the remaining two years of DeVon's term.
------------------------------
MISHAWAKA-– Mishawaka firefighters say the September chemical spill and fire at the Baycote site in Mishawaka was a fluke. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the fire happened after a contractor put chemicals too close together at the site.. it forced the evacuations of hundreds of people in the city.
------------------------------
MISHAWAKA-- Salvation Army officials in South Bend say someone dropped a gold coin valued at 18-hundred dollars in a red kettle. It's the third straight year someone has made that type of donation in a red kettle in the area.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHCENTRAL INDIANA

KOKOMO— Close to 50 temporary workers are loosing their jobs Friday. General Motors Components Holdings in Kokomo is letting go of the employees to adjust the workforce and meet the needs of the business. GM doesn't have additional employment cuts planned in the near future.
------------------------------
PERU— A fire broke out Tuesday evening in an airplane hangar that was currently undergoing renovations to accommodate Dean Baldwin LP Painting in Peru. Officials say the flames were likley caused by a contracted worker, however it's still under investigation. Dean Baldwin LP plans to hire 200 workers in the near future.
------------------------------
WALTON — Walton city officials are looking at demolishing the Sixth street building that caught on fire on Thanksgiving. Cass Superior Judge ordered the city to work with the landlord to schedule demolition. The blaze that destroyed the building remains under investigation.
------------------------------
PERU— A Miami County man owes prosecutors nearly $50,000 dollars in upaid child support. Miami officials say it's the largest collection of back support ever reported in the county. Prosecutors discovered his debts after sorting through his tax records. The man fathered more than five children with four different women.
------------------------------
INDIANAPOLIS-- A campaign to encourage kids to eat fruits and vegetables was launched at Arlington Woods School in Indianapolis. The "Produce Mom", Lori Taylor of the Indianapolis Fruit Company teamed with IPS and Indiana celebrities and heroes to promote healthy eating. The initiative is part of an ongoing series of programs that will be expanded to other cities across the nation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPORTS

SOUTH BEND-- The National College Football Awards Association is recognizing Notre Dame's former coach. 89 year old, Ara Parseghian's will receive his award on December 6th. He coached the Irish from 1964 to 1974, leading them to national champships in 1966 and 1973.
------------------------------
INDIANAPOLIS-- The Indianapolis Colts sit at 7-4 and hit the road to face the Detroit Lions Sunday. Coach Bruce Arians says as the team prepares for the Lions, they continue to draw inspiration from Coach Chuck Pagano. Arians says any time Coach Pagano can be around the team it helps his recovery, even calling his time with the team "unbelievable medicine."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEATHER

South Bend / Elkhart / Goshen:
Today ... Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. Friday ... Partly sunny, near 49. And Saturday ... a gorgeous and bright day, near 55.

Kokomo / Walton / Cass:
Today ... Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Friday ... Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. And Saturday ... a gorgeous and bright day near 56.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ELECTION RESULTS

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

An Ohio victory allowed President Obama to get re-elected. Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Winsconsin were among battlegrounds that the president won. Romney captured a key victory in North Carolina. Obama now faces a partisan divide in Congress, with Republicans retaining House majority while Democrats keep control of the Senate.

U.S SENATOR:
VICTORY: DEMOCRAT JOE DONNELLY

The battle for U-S Senate is over in Indiana. Democratic Joe Donnelly won about 49% of votes over Republican Richard Mourdock who had about 46% of the votes. Libertarian Andrew Horning had 6% votes.

INDIANA GOVERNOR:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN MIKE PENCE

Taking the governor's seat is Republican Mike Pence. He defeated Democrat John Gregg and Libertarian Rupert Boneham Tuesday. Pence, who's been in Congress for the past 12 years, took about 50% of votes..John Gregg had 46% and Boneham had 4%.

ATTORNEY GENERAL:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN GREG ZOELLER

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller will be back in office next year for his second term. Zoeller beat Democrat Kay Fleming easily with 58% of the votes. Flemming only had 42%.

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION:
VICTORY: DEMOCRAT GLENDA RITZ

Tony Bennett is no longer the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Democrat Glenda Ritz pulled out the upset in the tight race. Ritz had 53% of votes while Bennett had 47%.

Jackie Walorski claimed Joe Donnelly's seat in Indiana's second district. Walorski gained 49% of the vote, Mullen got 48% and Libertarian Joe Ruiz picked up the remaining 3%. She won by less than 4,000 votes two years after she lost to incumbent Joe Donnelly by about 2,000 votes.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1:
VICTORY: DEMOCRAT PETE VISCLOSKY

Representing Indiana's 1st congressional district is Democrat Pete Visclosky. The Democrat defeated Portage businessman Joel Phelps with about 67% of the votes. Phelps had 33% of votes. This will be Visclosky's 15th term.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN MARLIN STUTZMAN

Republican Marlin Stutzman will return to congress. Stutzman easily defeated his opponent- Democrat Kevin Boyd for Indiana‘s 3rd district seat which is the northeastern part of the state. He had about 72% of the vote.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 4:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN TODD ROKITA

Todd Rokita is also returning to congress. The Republican incumbent defeated Democrat Tara Nelson and Libertarian Benjamin Gehlhausen for the 4th district seat.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN SUSAN BROOKS

Representing Indiana's 5th district is Republican Susan Brooks. She had 58% of the votes while Democrat Scott Resk had 38%. Brooks says she plans to make the federal deficit a big priority to restoring faith in Congress.

MICHIGAN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6:
VICTORY: REPUBLICAN FRED UPTON

Republican Fred Upton is going for a 14th term in congress. The republican representing Michigan's 6trh district defeated his Democratic challenger Mike O'Brien with with 60% of the vote. O'Brian had 42% vote.

OVERVIEW:
Republicans held on to their House majority, leaving Democrats pretty short of the gain of 25 seats they needed to take control. Republicans now hold a 240-190 majority in the House.

Same-sex marriage is set to become legal in Maine, Minnesota and Maryland. Washington also voted on the measure, but results are still not clear. If approved, they would become the first states to do so through the people's vote.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------